Best Hotels in Cambridge

City centre hotels cost £120-300/night near colleges but offer walking access to everything. Budget travellers find better value in Mill Road (£60-90/night) with 15-minute walks to the centre. Book months ahead for graduation weeks in June and July when prices double.

We reviewed 8 hotels across Cambridge's key neighbourhoods to help you pick.

City Centre - best for first-time visitors, history enthusiasts (luxury)

Mill Road - best for budget travellers, food adventurers (budget)

Riverside and The Backs - best for photographers, romantic couples (mid-range)

Chesterton - best for families with children, locals seeking quieter stays (mid-range)

Station Area and Hills Road - best for business travellers, transit-focused visitors (mid-range)

Daily budget guide: Budget £45-65, Mid-range £85-130, Luxury £220+.

Budget

YHA Cambridge (City Centre) - £25-60/night. Modern youth hostel in converted Victorian mansion offering private rooms and dorms with self-catering kitchen facilities.

Premier Inn Cambridge City Centre (City Centre) - £60-120/night. Reliable chain hotel with comfortable Hypnos beds and family rooms, located walking distance from the colleges.

Mid-Range

Hotel du Vin Cambridge (City Centre) - £180-280/night. Former university building turned boutique hotel with original features and a wine-focused bistro popular with locals.

The Gonville Hotel (City Centre) - £120-200/night. Independent hotel on Parker's Piece with traditional English decor and reliable mid-range comfort since 1964.

Clayton Hotel Cambridge (Station Area and Hills Road) - £90-160/night. Modern chain hotel next to Cambridge railway station with contemporary rooms and 24-hour gym access.

Tamburlaine Hotel (City Centre) - £160-250/night. Contemporary design hotel near the Grand Arcade shopping centre with modern British restaurant and sleek interiors.

Luxury

University Arms (City Centre) - £280-400/night. Autograph Collection hotel opposite Parker's Piece with views of the university spires and a Michelin-mentioned restaurant.

Varsity Hotel (City Centre) - £200-350/night. Rooftop bar with panoramic views over Cambridge spires and contemporary rooms overlooking the River Cam.

Book early for April to June for mild weather, blooming gardens, and fewer tourists than summer, plus colleges remain open for most of the term - this is peak season and prices rise.

Getting around: Walking - city centre covers 1 square mile, flat terrain.